Inspiration
I don’t know anyone who couldn’t use an extra dose of inspiration these days. It’s been over six weeks of living, teaching, caring, and working in a state of suspended animation. And, even though there seems to be a glimmer of hope as different areas of the country “open back up”, the time has come to consider what is needed to keep moving forward. It all starts with a little inspiration or psychological nudge to stay focused and motivated.
As if keeping ourselves inspired isn’t tricky enough, we must also encourage our employees. We are all living more similar lives than perhaps ever before. We combine work, home-schooling, and fulltime caretaking, with our breaks often just being able to look at a different wall. It’s enough to have us all on the brink of exhaustion. How do we inspire our teams? How can we even think about inspiring if we need inspiration ourselves?
It is ok if there are times during this transition you don’t feel very inspiring. It is ok to take the day off, relax, treat yourself. Time for yourself will not detract you from your job or duties as a manager. These are also messages your employees need to hear.
Inspiring yourself first will help you recharge and be more energizing to your employees. After all, the success of a manager can often be measured by the morale of her team. You are all best when your employees are productive and motivated despite of what’s going on in the world.
Here are ideas to consider in attempting to inspire and lead during any challenging time:
1. There is a link between Fear and Trust – We need to ease the stress and strain for our employees. The first way to motivate our employees is to demonstrate that you have faith in their abilities. Maybe it is as simple as asking team members to lead meetings, calls, etc. Positive reinforcement is the simplest way to motivate. It will help dramatically to ease the uncertainties of the environment while expanding upon our mutual trust.
2. Listen. Make time to listen to your employees. Don’t wait for them to come to you but, reach out to them, so they know the door is open. Being entirely available to your team may seem daunting. Most will not take you up on your offer, but it will instill some faith. Right now, everyone is feeling a little vulnerable. Promoting open communication and building upon that foundation is important to a healthy company culture.
3. Be mindful. The stress of adapting to working remotely has also meant adjusting to an office that seemingly never closes in a world that offers no social interaction. All facets of life are revolving around who we live with and our immediate surroundings. It is very easy for us to extend work hours beyond a typical workday. This can quickly lead to burnout, and employees will not be able to operate at their best.
4. Be flexible. Operating our work and home calendars have been complicated. With children at home, teaching, caring for others, and navigating new technology, it can feel like it may never end. Understand that employees are balancing multiple jobs. Many are rightfully a higher priority, right now than the job you manage. Resist the tendency to push our team beyond these compromised limits. Support their schedules and be flexible with their time. Encourage employees to take time for themselves. Don’t wait until you see the heaviness of their responsibilities affecting their morale or productivity. Encourage them to make time for themselves.
5. Encourage self-preservation – Meditation can be an easy and effective method to support confidence and well-being. There are many apps and resources to facilitate this practice. Incorporate it into your day and encourage your staff to block out time to focus on themselves. Working during this time is counter-productive, and people need to be confident that they will be supported in this practice.
6. Exercise – Whether using the stairs in your home or taking the dog for a walk, encourage your team to exercise. There has been study after study published on the countless benefits of moving your body. This will help to generate creative ideas, relieve stress, and keep your team inspired.
7. Skill and Job Exploration – Encourage assisting other teams and gaining exposure to different areas of the company. Learning new skills or observing other areas can inspire employees to explore or develop interests that could lead to a happier more, satisfied employee. Consider performing a skills assessment as a foundation for this effort.
8. Inform – In this uncertain environment, it is easy for employees to make uninformed conclusions. This often leads to undermining confidence and productivity. Communicate regularly and be available to your team to provide leadership. Then communicate just a bit more, to make sure they understand that you understand.
BlueFire HR is here to bridge your resources through outsourcing support to help expand and execute on these ideas. If you want to discuss these topics, need assistance with your workforce strategy, or need an executive coach to talk to, contact us at 888-336-0909 or info@futuresense.com